Classic star The Gurkha related to Group 1 sires

THE GURKHA (IRE) - 2013 bay colt

Cima De Triomphe, Frankel, Heliostatic, New Approach, Rip Van Winkle, Roderic O'Connor, Sixties Icon, Soldier Of Fortune, and Teofilo all have something in common besides being sons of the prolific champion sire Galileo (by Sadler's Wells). Each is the sire of at least one Group/Grade 1 winner, on the flat, in a country that is listed in Part I of the International Cataloguing Standards.

This early success augurs well for the prospects of the younger Galileo horses at stud and, as a classic-winning miler from the family of a Derby hero and Group 1 sire, there will be expectations that Coolmore Stud's new recruit The Gurkha can add his name to that list some time in the not too distant future.​

Unraced at two, he was third in a mile maiden at Leopardstown on his debut in April, ran away with a Navan maiden over the same trip 11 days later and then took the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) by five and a half lengths at Deauville in May.​

He was odds-on when runner-up to Galileo Gold in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes and when a half-length second to Hawkbill in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes, and his final start saw him beat his Ascot conqueror by a neck in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Timeform rate him 127.

The Gurkha is a full-brother to the pattern-placed Queen Nefertiti and his dam, Chintz (by Danehill Dancer), who won the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes as a two-year-old, is a half-sister to the dam of the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas runner-up Savile Row (by Makfi).

His grandam is Gold Dodger (by Slew O' Gold) and that stakes-winning daughter of Group 3 Prix Cleopatre scorer Brooklyn's Dance (by Shirley Heights) is a half-sister to five stakes winners and also to a broodmare of note.

Best of the stakes quintet is 2012's surprise Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Solemia (by Poliglote). Her three-parts brothers Prospect Wells (by Sadler's Wells) and Prospect Park (by Sadler's Wells) are Group 1-placed pattern winners, while Brooklyn's Gold (by Seeking The Gold) and Never Green (by Halling) won listed races.

The other noteworthy sibling is Brooklyn's Storm (by Storm) and it is her stakes-winning daughter Stormina (by Gulch) who gave us the classic-placed Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac and Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Silsaol (by Monsun), the joint-champion juvenile filly in France in 2012.

Brooklyn's Dance is a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 Grand Criterium scorer Okawango (by Kingmambo), to the grandam of triple Group 1 star and German champion Quijano (by Acatenango), and also to the mare who gave us 2007's Derby and Juddmonte International Stakes hero Authorized (by Montjeu).

That star has four Group 1 winners to his name, including the recent dual Australian top-level star Hartnell, and his success is no surprise given that his grandam (fourth dam of The Gurkha) is Vallee Dansante (by Lyphard), a half-sister to classic hero and leading sire Green Dancer (by Nijinsky) and also to Irish Valley (by Irish River), the dam of juvenile champion and classic sire Alhaarth (by Unfuwain) and grandam of classic hero and classic sire Makfi (by Dubawi).

This is a family with an established history of producing stallions capable of siring Group 1 winners and so there is every reason to hope that classic-winning miler The Gurkha can add his name that roll of honour too.

THE GURKHA (IRE) – b.2013 – Galileo – Chintz, 3 wins inc Poule d'Essai des Poulains (Gr1), Sussex Stakes (Gr1), 2nd Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Gr1), St James's Palace Stakes (Gr1). Sire in Ireland. First foals in 2018.